


fallout

by AspenRoman



Category: Runaways (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-21
Updated: 2019-12-21
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:54:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21888481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AspenRoman/pseuds/AspenRoman
Summary: in which everything becomes too much for Nico, and it all takes a turn for the worst.
Relationships: Karolina Dean/Nico Minoru
Kudos: 88





	fallout

**Author's Note:**

> rewrites some of the events in episode 8, but it's basically the angst I wanted to see after Robert's death. has a happy ending tho.
> 
> warnings: strong language
> 
> inspired by the songs "fallout" by catfish and the bottlemen and "when the party's over" by billie eilish

By the time Nico gets back to the Hostel, she can feel her shoulders unconsciously shaking. In her right hand, she clutches her dad's glasses like a lifeline, as if holding on would bring him back. Her dad's death hangs over her head and she can feel herself starting to fall apart. All she wants to do is crawl into bed with Karolina and sleep for a thousand years.

"Hello?" Nico shouts as she enters the Hostel.

The floorboards creak under her feet, but there's no response.

She sniffles, "Karolina?"

They were always there for each other, no matter what. Maybe Karolina just didn't hear her, or maybe she went out to get something. Someone had to be here.

"Anyone?" Nico's voice cracks.

Silence, nothing but silence. And perhaps, that's the worst part, because with no one there to distract her, her mind races through the endless possibilities of what she could have done. She wasn't fast enough, maybe if she was faster, he would still be alive. She shouldn't have let him do this, now he's dead and her mother's a widow. It's all her fault.

People just keep getting hurt because of her, nothing she seems to do is good enough. First, Alex, and then she let Morgan back into the world, and now her dad is dead and everyone is gone. Her grip on the glasses tightens. Suddenly, a blinding light is emitted from the nose frame of the glasses, and Nico can only gape as a video of Morgan's spell book is projected against the wall.

"Holy shit, you genius," she breathes as she reads the spell.

Nico feels like she's having an out-of-body experience as she casts the spell, and then suddenly two strangers are in front of her and yelling at her. She's worn down emotionally, but refuses to show any kind of weakness in front of them. Tandy, the blonde, finally relents, only because her partner, Ty, de-escalates the situation. Everything is a blur as some computer-virus-version of Janet Stein appears and before she knows it, she's whisked away to battle again.

The worst part of it all is seeing her Karolina, because god does she miss her. And when she sees her tied up and helpless, Nico sees red. She's so tired of seeing the people she loves getting hurt or being put in danger. The battle itself is simple, the Staff of One provides a comfortable weight in her hands and every spell comes to her easy. As soon as it starts, the battle is over and Ty whisks them away back to their home.

They're not even back for a millisecond before Gert starts stressing about how they need to find Molly, and then suddenly Chase and her are arguing again and Nico can feel her mind shutting down. Today has been a lot, and she needs to recharge.

"What did you do?" Karolina spins on her, and suddenly the girl Nico loves is shouting at her too.

"What do you mean?" Nico thought she would be out of tears by now, but fuck, Karolina is looking at her with so much anger that Nico can feel her eyes watering.

"I mean, you didn't even ask any of us before you brought us here. We should be getting Alex right now," Karolina continues.

Nico pinches the bridge of her nose, "Karrie, I think we all could use some rest right now."

"Don't 'Karrie' me! He's in this mess because of you, we all are. People getting hurt because of your actions Nico, you can't keep doing this," Karolina says.

"You think I don't fucking know that, Karolina?" Nico finally breaks.

Everyone turns to her and stares, like she's a tiger trapped in a cage and they're just here for the entertainment. At this point, Nico is so tired of everything that she doesn't even care about how vulnerable she's being.

"You think I don't fucking know that Alex has been trapped in hell for the last six months because I couldn't figure out how to get back there? You think I don't know that my dad fucking died because of me? I had to watch the goddamn life leave his eyes, Karolina. You think I don't know how isolated I've become, and how I pushed away the only person I've ever loved away from me? I fucking know what I've done, 'cause I have to live with that shit everyday. I know what I've done, you don't need to remind me," Nico rants, but her fire fades as she goes on.

A beat passes as silence falls over everyone and Nico sighs, "I know we're on a time limit, Tandy and Ty, just give us one night, okay?"

The Wiccan doesn't even wait for a response as she trudges up the enormous staircase and toward the room she shares with Karolina. Lately, it doesn't even feel like they share it, she hasn't seen her in days. Nico barely sleeps, and if she does she takes the couch. But right now, she just needs time to herself. Her feet guide her to the bed, and she plops down with her head in her hands. Her eyes are locked ono the wall, but she's too caught up in her thoughts to really see anything. Alone again with her thoughts, she can't help but relive her dad's death over and over again. She was always closer to him than with her mother, and things had just started to look up for them. And now, he was gone, and all she had left of him was a pair of glasses and lukewarm memories.

"-ico? Nico?" Nico is only brought out of her trance by a pair of hands on her shoulders and she blinks, and suddenly Karolina is in front of her.

She looks beautiful, and Nico feels her heart stop for a second as she gazes at her. Fuck, she misses her. Nico doesn't even realize she's crying until Karolina reaches up and gently wipes away her tears. For a moment, Karolina just cups Nico's face and down at her.

"I didn't know your dad died, god, I'm so sorry Nico," Karolina's eyebrows crease.

"It was a few hours ago," Nico murmurs and bites down on her lip, and fuck she misses him so much that it felts like her chest is going to combust.

Karolina frowns, "I-, know what it's like to lose a dad, if you want to talk, or if you don't that's okay too. Either way I shouldn't have yelled at you like that, I was frustrated and that's no excuse to blame you for everything. We all made the decision to leave Alex. I, I'm just sorry I left you. I shouldn't have just left like that, we should've talked it out more before I just broke up with you."

"It's okay, I deserved it," Nico sits up straighter and places her hands on either side of her body.

"I love you, you know that right?" Karolina said softly.

Nico nodded, "I do."

Karolina smiled, "It's me and you, baby, from this life to the next. We just need to communicate more. I'm not perfect, but I'll do anything for you. No more secrets, no more lies, and no more sneaking around. We're a team, okay? I love you, Nico, just let me help,"

"I love you too," Nico smiled as she pulled Karolina in for a hug.

The two held each for a long time before Nico pulled Karolina onto the bed with her. With Karolina in her arms, she could feel like she could do anything. And as she felt the steady rise-and-fall on her, Nico just kissed the top of her head.

"It's me and you, baby. From this life until to the next."


End file.
